In paediatrics, it is desirable to treat fractures of bone in the vicinity of a growth joint while, at the same time, avoiding injury to the growth joint. If the growth joint is injured, the bone will not continue to grow. Therefore, instead of bone screws which are usually used in osteosynthesis, Kirschner wires are used for treating fractures. Kirschner wires have a small diameter and, thus, use of Kirschner wires result in only marginal damage to the growth joint and possibly no injury to the growth joint. The disadvantage of using a Kirschner wire on its own is that the bone fracture cannot be compressed. For this reason, implants have been constructed where a small ball is fastened on the implanted Kirschner wire using a grubscrew. The grubscrew is screwed in at right angle to the Kirschner wire, so that the final position of the Kirschner wire will be secured. This right angle orientation may complicate a surgical technique as well as the manipulation of the Kirschner wire. The grubscrew is situated in the ball and is tightened by means of a tool. The tightening tool is integral with the grubscrew and has a predetermined breaking position. After the fixation of a bone and the Kirschner wire is in position, an operator uses the tool to insert/twist the grubscrew into the ball. When the grubscrew has been tightened into the ball to a certain extent, the application of additional force to the tool may cause the tool to break off from the grubscrew at the predetermined breaking position. Thereafter, the ball is fixed on the Kirschner wire and the ball's positioning can not be reversed or altered (i.e., the Kirschner wire cannot be repositioned).
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a clamping device which may be fixed with respect to a fixation element such as a Kirschner wire and, thereafter, may allow for repositioning of the clamping device and/or fixation element if desired.